Titus, Warner Talk Security

Titus, Warner talk security

"Five years later … not enough has been done," Senator Dina Titus said Sept. 6 in a press conference with former Virginia Governor Mark Warner at the Riviera Hotel and Casino.

Titus, a UNLV political science professor and candidate for governor, addressed homeland security issues less than one week before the five-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Proposing an overhaul of state-wide national security, Titus put forward a number of changes to the statewide national security problem. One issue Titus addressed is the lack of communication between first responders. According to Titus, there currently is no direct communication between firefighters, police, state troopers, ambulances and hospital personnel.

"The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing," Titus said. "We see that on the Congressional level. Congressman Gibbons has voted against additional funding for various aspects for homeland security."

She also stated that Congressman Gibbons made "very little noise" when it came to cutting out Las Vegas from the Department of Homeland Security funding.

Brent Boynton, Director of Communications for the Jim Gibbons for Governor campaign responded by pointing to Gibbons' consistent votes to increase funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

He added that Titus is "speaking out of both sides of her mouth" when it comes to funding, alluding to her recent comments about Gibbons' consistent votes authorizing increased spending by the federal government.

According to Titus, state money directed toward first responders was used on "barbeque grills and t-shirts and things like that for some first responders.

"That's not where the money should go. The money should go, first and foremost, to establishing that network of communications."

"We have over 40 million visitors a year, on top of our state population … they may know how to get from the Eiffel Tower to the Caesars Palace, but they don't know how to get out of town," Titus said.

She cited the work of state legislators in passing laws mandating casinos to create evacuation plans in the case of an emergency.

She added that more needs to be done to make Nevadans and all our visitors safer and more aware if such an emergency should arise.

Titus also pointed to the Nevada Test Site as an avenue of increasing security, calling the site the largest secure outdoor laboratory.

She proposed using the test site as a training center for first responders and a center to study architecture and engineering in the "post-9/11 world." She proposed bringing in people from around the world to aggressively pursue new programs at the Nevada Test Site.

Addressing UNLV's Institute of Security Studies, Titus said that UNLV is looking for a new director for the program as well as an internal audit.

She said that it is "absolutely a wonderful program; it got off on the wrong foot."

She suggested having more oversight and accountability for the program, but does not favor gutting it.

Titus added that there are other things the Nevada System of Higher Education can do.

"Homeland Security isn't just about the Defense Department or FEMA. It's got to have everybody in collaboration. You have got to have the hospital association, the nursing school, certainly the sciences … I see this as all-encompassing."

She also addressed the importance of involving the communication department and others that could be essential in case of an emergency.

Titus has been focusing on her "five E's" throughout the campaign, including education, economic development, energy, the environment and ethics.

She defeated her primary opponent, Henderson mayor Jim Gibson, by more than 17 points, and the most recent Wall Street Journal/ Zogby Interactive poll shows her currently leading Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-Nev) by three points.

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